site.btaUPDATED Sofia Mayor Expects Public Transport Strike During "Election Window", Trade Unions Do Not

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said he expects a strike in the capital’s public transport system during the "election window", speaking at a briefing at the Sofia Municipal Council here on Thursday. However, socialist Municipal Councillor and trade unionist Ivan Kirilov denied such claims, explaining that protests might occur if necessary, as has happened in the past under various mayors and governments, stressing that the current situation does not justify claims of an imminent strike. 

Terziev recalled that he recently met with representatives of transport unions and reiterated that he would not back down from his position that no additional funding can be allocated without real reforms, transparency and stronger management control in the system. 

"The goal is better transport service, not higher salaries," the Mayor said, calling for a long-term reform approach. He noted that with a shortfall of tens of millions of leva in the sector’s financial framework, talks cannot begin with demands for more funding "under the old model" without reforms or clarity on funding sources. He added that all advance payments needed to maintain the operations of municipal transport companies have already been made. 

According to Terziev, no meaningful reform is currently under way. He pointed out that the management of transport companies remains temporary, competitions for permanent appointments have not been launched, and a report on the companies' condition and recovery plan has not yet been submitted to the Municipal Council. 

The Mayor said state support is necessary, as the Municipality cannot shoulder additional cost increases until the financial "gap" in the transport system is closed. "We need to bring it to zero to avoid discussions about cutting [transport] lines or laying off staff," he said, stressing the need to identify sustainable funding sources. 

Asked whether he plans talks with caretaker Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski, who previously served as Sofia's deputy mayor for finance, Terziev said it makes no difference to him whether the government is a caretaker or a regular one. "We go with our list of demands. We hope that regardless of who the prime minister is, there will be willingness to listen," he said. 

Terziev also said he had asked trade union representatives where they propose the additional funding should come from - changes to parking regulations currently challenged in court and opposed by the Bulgarian Socialist Party's group in the Municipal Council, adjustments to ticket prices, or internal reforms to improve spending efficiency. 

The Bulgarian capital's public surface transport was paralyzed for several days last May, after transport workers went on strike. Workers were protesting for a BGN 400 pay rise from March 1, 2025, as well as for the provision of sanitary facilities and toilets, improved lighting, heating and work uniform. The demands also included an increase in the cost of overheads for meals from BGN 15 to BGN 20 from March 1, 2025. The six-day blockade was lifted after the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) – the organization representing the striking public transport workers, said that they are lifting it after the government allocated BGN 15 million to Sofia Municipality. 

However, Ivan Kirilov, a Municipal Councilor from the BSP for Bulgaria group in the Municipal Council and head of the Federation of Transport Workers under the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour, strongly denied claims of an impending strike. Speaking at a briefing in the Municipal Council, Kirilov criticized Mayor Terziev’s statement, calling it "false" and dismissive of the unions' position. He emphasized that a meeting between the Mayor and the trade unions only took place recently, almost a year after the last major strike, highlighting the inconsistent approach to social dialogue under Terziev. 

Kirilov said no concrete salary demands were made during the meeting, and that unions are waiting for calculations to be completed, noting the absence of municipal or state budget provisions. He also reminded the Mayor that Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski, a former deputy mayor under Terziev, should facilitate support for public transport and other sectors. 

The councilor further pointed out that the previous regular government, over the past nine months, allocated an additional BGN 15 million twice to support Sofia’s public transport, including advance payments for workers' salaries - a fact he said Terziev has omitted. Kirilov expressed strong support for launching competitions to appoint permanent boards for the city's transport companies, which are currently managed by temporary leadership. 

He said that protests might occur if necessary, as has happened in the past under various mayors and governments, but stressed that the current situation does not justify claims of an imminent strike.